Vending machines using prior art dispensing devices consist of a variety of designs in which mechanical members are moved to retain and dispense various types of articles. At the heart of these mechanical designs are structural members which operate as both a retaining mechanism, to retain the articles for dispensing within the vending apparatus, and a releasing mechanism, which release article(s) to a purchaser. Although these prior art devices presently dispense a variety of articles and have been in use for many years, they suffer from a number of problems.
One of the biggest problems facing vending machine owners is the cost involved with the frequent service calls required to have the vending machines, and in particular, the dispensing mechanisms within those machines, repaired and maintained, as well as the loss of sales for the articles contained in the vending machines themselves which are not dispensed due to malfunction of the mechanical mechanism.
This problem is mainly the result of the mechanical design of the prior art systems. Specifically, the prior art dispensing systems includes many mechanical parts that can jam and ultimately fail without warning. In an effort to prevent such breakdowns, frequent maintenance is required so that these parts can be properly adjusted, lubricated and/or replaced.
In addition to the repair costs and maintenance, there is also the problem of noise. Due to the design of the prior art dispensing devices, an appreciable amount of noise is generated during operation. Typically, such noise is generated by the interaction of the various moving parts, as well as the transportation of articles within the dispensing mechanism. Accordingly, this noise is particularly bothersome if the vending device is located in a library, movie theater, or other quiet environment.
Thus, there is a need to design a vending machine having a dispensing device that contains fewer parts, requires less repairs and maintenance and is quiet in operation.